Make Me Smile
by Muffin-Made Insanity
Summary: Chung works at a ramen shop in a busy city. When he happens to take a tumble, what happens to him might be considered stupid by some, but lucky by others. Friendship, Ramen, Squishy Things. You have been warned.


Make Me Smile

* * *

The day was dragging on again. It was hot out, and I was just sitting here, serving people at a ramen stand. Seems simple enough, right? I yawned for what seemed like the fourth time today as I went and cooked a bit more just to pass time. It was quiet, thankfully. I had a splitting headache, so it helps that there weren't that many people here. Can't blame 'em, really, with this heat.

"Chung! It's closing time, help clean up!" My little 'ears' perked up when I heard that and I hurried to clean up. I had no idea how much time had passed, but I was thankful to be out of the store. It was fairly cool out, and I joined the busy herd of people heading home from work. When we got to a street crossing, I saw a cute girl with long blonde hair standing there with a pleasant smile on her face. When she caught my eye she waved and I quickly looked away with a slightly pink face.

_It's just the heat that's making my face all red,_ I thought to myself. I looked her way again and saw her talking to another red-haired boy. Needless to say, my face fell instantly. When the street light turned red, we all began to walk. Someone tripped the girl and she went plummeting towards me. I felt like time just slowed down as she crashed into me. I was dazed a bit, and I felt something warm in my hand. I squished it gently and I heard a squeak come from the girl. She jumped up and looked down at her chest. Her face went bright red and my eyes widened. She began to shake, and said,

"You PERV!"

**SMACK!**

* * *

The next day I was rubbing my cheek and serving more ramen to people, and I couldn't get that girl out of my head. I went into the kitchen to cook some more, and when I came back, she was standing there at the counter. We instantly looked away from each other, and she quietly said,

"Get me your best ramen, please.."

"Y-yeah,"

I was back in a flash and we exchanged our items. I put her money in the cash register and she looked at me with a shy smile.

"Is your cheek okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess,"

"Sorry for hitting you so hard..my name's Rena~" She smiled. I smiled back and she bit her lip, gazing over her shoulder.

"Something wrong?"

"N-no.. I'm fine. Thank you for the ramen."

Afterwards, I went to go clean her table, and I picked up a small piece of paper underneath the dollar I received for a tip. I grinned. It was Rena's number. Silently fist-pumping, I ran out of the store after I helped clean up, and flopped down on my bed and dialed her number.

"H-hello?"

I grinned. "Rena? It's Chung.."

"Oh! Hey Chung~"

Needless to say, we talked for hours that night. I found out that when we first met that she was on her way back to her flat where she lived with another girl, Eve. I remember something on the news about Eve's attempted suicide. At her age, it was understandable, but at the same time, I worried that the two of them weren't getting along. Rena told me about her husband, Raven, who went MIA while fighting in the war. I told her my father had done the same not two years ago, and my mother had went missing three years before that. Well, that was before I found her body, of course.

* * *

"Hey, Rena, I'm going out," Eve said, walking towards the door and checking her phone.

Rena giggled. "So, you're going out with Els? Alright, tell him I said hi~!"

"I know Mo-Rena! See ya!" Eve shut the door and ran out into the hot street below.

Rena blinked. Did she just call her Mom? Rena smiled.

_It's been a while since I've thought of being called Mom again.._ Rena looked up towards the window and opened the fridge to get water, and then looked down at her stomach. _I wonder how you're doing up there Aisha..how many years has it been since you passed? I miss you, you fiery little teenager._

* * *

Chung had found his mother's body four months after she went missing. He was about eighteen then, and his body went rigid and his legs gave out. Her face was cut up and bruised, her neck punctured by a small needle, several holes all over her neck. Her eyes were glassy, dried tears stained to her cold, pale face. He managed to say his mother's name before bursting into tears on the spot. He called his father and the police, the former who promptly held his son with a stoic face. Chung could only watch as his mother's body was loaded onto an ambulance and taken far away. Chung did nothing but watch the ambulance pull away, the red lights disappearing on the hill.

* * *

Rena and Raven were frantic once they heard that their daughter had been beaten and stabbed, left to die in an alley. No one knew who did it, and Aisha wasn't talking to them. She did that because she couldn't or she'd get in trouble, and secondly because the man had said to her directly that he'd come back for more than just stabbing her if she told anyone. Rena thought that she hated them. Hated them for not coming to help her, to hold her, to tell her everything would be okay. That made Rena's heart stop for a second when her thoughts wandered to that. Raven, needless to say, had to console her all the way through it, cuddling and snuggling her. Rena needed Raven more than ever, and it was even worse when he was called off to war. Rena watched him drive away, her hands shaking.

Needless to say, she lost both Raven and Aisha in the same day.

* * *

Chung fiddled around with his thumbs, the coffee sitting in front of him steaming hot. He looked at his phone again. Rena was running a bit late, but Chung didn't mind. As long as he got to see her again.

"Hey Chung! Sorry I'm late," Chung looked up to see Rena smiling at him, her necklace he had got her hanging loosely around her neck. Chung grinned.

"Yo, Rena. It's fine, I wasn't bored. So how's life?" Rena slid into the booth beside him and laughed.

"Pretty good. Eve's getting out of the house more, it seems. Els really was a good thing for her..they've become so close, and they only met a few weeks ago,"

Chung chuckled. "Really? I'm glad Eve's doing okay, then,"

Rena smiled softly. "She wants to meet you, Chung,"

"Huh?"

"She wants to meet the person that makes me smile so much, Chung. I need to thank you,"

Rena finished her coffee and Chung finished his, and they walked out together. Chung looked over at Rena and said,

"What do you need to thank me for?"

Rena just grinned and pecked Chung on the cheek.

"For making me smile, for making me happy again."


End file.
